Unit-wide Announcements / Headquarters
A New Chapter for UNITAF

Major James

Chairman
UNITAF

Today, I want to share some important updates about our future direction, and I hope you'll take a moment to read this message.

I want to begin by expressing how incredibly proud I am of everything we’ve achieved together over the past five years. Starting and Leading UNITAF for over half a decade has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Thanks to your hard work, dedication, and passion, and those who came before you - we’ve built something truly special - a strong, vibrant unit that I am deeply honoured to be part of.

After a great deal of thought and reflection, I’ve decided that the time has come for me to step down as Commanding Officer and transition into a new role as Chairman of UNITAF. This decision hasn’t been easy, but I believe it’s the right one, both for the unit and for myself. Recently, I’ve encountered some real-world challenges that have required more of my focus and attention. Balancing these priorities with my responsibilities to UNITAF has made it clear to me that the unit would benefit from having a Commanding Officer who can fully dedicate themselves to the role as written.

Earlier this month, I met with the other Officers to share my decision and discuss the best way forward for UNITAF. After careful consideration, I asked Captain Korean Falcon if he would step up as our next Commanding Officer. I’m pleased to announce that Korean accepted, and I’m confident that with all our support, that he is the right person to lead UNITAF into the future.

Korean has been an outstanding Personnel Officer and before that, Troop Commander, demonstrating leadership and dedication since joining UNITAF. When he first joined us in November 2020, he had no prior experience in Arma, yet he quickly rose through the ranks, proving his ability and commitment. I am particularly proud to be passing the baton to someone who began here as a recruit and who earned his place through sheer merit. This transition feels especially meaningful because it reflects our commitment to fostering growth within UNITAF.

I understand that this may feel like a big change, but much of what UNITAF does on a day-to-day basis is driven by your collective efforts and not mine. All the initiatives we have in place, including our Roadmap, Future Training System, and other ongoing projects, will continue as planned. There are no major changes to our operations or strategy, which will carry on as normal and with many plans underway, and hopefully at some future point a new game on the horizon!

Korean does have some immediate plans, particularly around communication and coordination, which he will announce in the coming days when he takes over officially, these are positive steps from a Unit Command perspective. Additionally, there will be a few successional promotions and announcements as we backfill roles made vacant by his movement from Personnel Command. However, these changes are aimed at enhancing what we already do well and ensuring we continue to thrive.

As Commanding Officer, Korean will have the executive authority to manage day-to-day operations and make the crucial decisions necessary for UNITAF’s continued progress. Just as I have done, much of his authority will be delegated to our unit commands and staff—a process we’ve been working hard on in recent years and are keen to continue.

My new role as Chairman will involve equipping Korean, our officers, NCOs, and all contributors with the tools they need to excel. I’ll remain actively involved, focusing on areas where I can add the most value.

We will be updating our policies to clarify the differences between the roles of Commanding Officer and Chairman, and how this gradual handover will unfold. Briefly, the Commanding Officer (CO) holds the highest executive authority, overseeing daily operations and making key decisions for the unit’s operational effectiveness. In contrast, the Chairman serves in a non-executive capacity, focusing on strategic oversight, long-term planning, and providing advisory support to the executive team. This transition will take time to fully complete, and I will be closely involved to ensure a smooth and effective handover.

I understand that this is a significant change, and it may come as a surprise to many of you. I want to reassure you that this isn’t a sudden decision, but rather one that has been on my mind for some time. My recent absence may have been noticed by some of you, and this transition is part of acknowledging that and ensuring we continue to make progress in areas where I feel we could have done better. This is something I ask of all our leaders, and it’s important to me that I set the example. To me, the success of the unit and what we have built together must be put above all else.

Please know that I’m not going anywhere, even if I may be around less than usual for the short term - I’m simply shifting to a role that allows me to focus on supporting our leadership and continuing the work that’s most important to our long-term success. While allowing someone else to take charge and focus on what we need a Commanding Officer to be. Our success has always been a collective effort, and I’m confident we will continue to thrive and achieve even more together.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, trust, and commitment during my time as Commanding Officer. It’s been an absolute pleasure to lead this unit over the past five years, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work and play alongside you in the future. All I ask is that you continue pushing UNITAF forward in any way you can. We can never have too many contributors, and your involvement is crucial to our success.

Thank you for everything you do, let’s embrace change and continue to build on the strong foundation we’ve created.